Benjamin Zephaniah's dub poetry and its appeal to children: an ecocritical reading

Dub poetry, a performance art originating with Black poets in Jamaica, Britain, and Canada, combines spoken-word poetry with rhythmic accentuation and gestures. This study investigates why Benjamin Zephaniah's dub poetry, particularly his early works like *Talking Turkeys*, *Funky Chickens*, and *Wicked World*, is so appealing to children. It explores this through an ecocritical lens, combining the often separate fields of dub poetry, children's literature, and ecocriticism. The study aims to demonstrate that Zephaniah's success comes from a unique blend of performative elements, humorous style, serious cosmopolitan themes (animal rights, environmentalism, racial equality), and a recognition of poetry's inherent political and activist potential. Existing research on children's poetry highlights characteristics such as understandability, familiarity, simplicity, sensory qualities, musicality, and humor—all of which intersect with the features of dub poetry. This research seeks to demonstrate how Zephaniah's work embodies these qualities, maintaining its appeal even in the printed form.

The study draws upon various definitions and interpretations of dub poetry, highlighting the ongoing scholarly debate regarding its classification and definition. Key elements consistently emphasized include verbal rhythm, performance aspects, and socio-political critique. The study also references existing research on children's literature, focusing on the characteristics that make poetry appealing to young audiences, such as appropriate language, rhythm, humor, and relevance to their lives. It examines how the use of Creole English in Zephaniah's poetry, while varying from Standard English, enhances accessibility and resonates with children familiar with similar language forms in other media. The role of performance, both in live settings and in the way it is captured in print, is explored through analyses of Zephaniah's work and the work of his contemporaries. The study also connects these discussions to ecocriticism, drawing on existing definitions and frameworks to analyze how Zephaniah's themes of animal welfare and environmental ethics align with the field's central concerns.

The study employs a thematic analysis of selected poems from Zephaniah's early children's collections, viewed through the lens of ecocriticism. Ecocriticism, as defined by Glotfelty and Fromm, is understood as the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment, adopting an earth-centered approach. The analysis focuses on how Zephaniah's poems explore the relationship between humans and non-humans, highlighting his biocentric approach and critique of anthropocentrism. The research also incorporates a formal analysis of the poems, examining elements such as language, rhythm, structure, and graphic design to understand how these elements contribute to the poetry's appeal to children. The study draws upon a range of sources, including Zephaniah's own writings and statements, analyses of his work by other scholars, and relevant studies on children's literature and ecocriticism. The study also incorporates observations from videos of Zephaniah performing his poetry to illustrate the performative aspects crucial to his style and its impact on young audiences. Analysis of the poems themselves considers linguistic choices, rhythmic patterns, and the use of Creole English, exploring how these choices contribute to the accessibility and engagement of the poetry. The use of visual elements in the printed form of his poetry, mirroring the dynamism of his performance, is also considered.

The study finds that Zephaniah's dub poetry effectively engages children due to several interconnected factors. His performative style, evident even in print through specific linguistic choices and graphic design, creates a sense of dynamism and immediacy. The use of humor and child-friendly language makes serious topics accessible. The poems address contemporary issues relevant to children—animal rights, environmental concerns, and racial equality—fostering empathy and encouraging critical thinking. His consistent use of Caribbean Creole adds to the appeal, connecting with children's familiarity with diverse language forms in modern media. The study illustrates how Zephaniah’s use of rhythmic devices, repetition, and onomatopoeia contribute to the musicality of his poetry, drawing parallels between his style and the characteristics identified by scholars as attractive to children. Key examples from *Talking Turkeys*, *Funky Chickens*, and *Wicked World* are analyzed, showcasing how he uses animals to represent ecological and social injustices, employing humor to address serious themes of anthropocentrism, environmental destruction, and racial discrimination. The study highlights poems like “Talking Turkeys!!”, illustrating how Zephaniah's use of humor and relatable situations effectively communicates powerful social and environmental messages. The analysis reveals how the poems' structure, typeface variations, and illustrations work together to maintain the dynamic quality of his live performances even in the printed version, compensating for the absence of his physical presence. The research further emphasizes Zephaniah’s role as an activist, using his poetry to advocate for a biocentric worldview that values both human and non-human life, and to fight against all forms of oppression and discrimination.

The findings demonstrate how Zephaniah's dub poetry successfully integrates performance, humor, and social commentary to create a powerful and engaging experience for young readers. His approach directly addresses the research question by showing how his unique combination of poetic form and socio-political themes creates a distinctive appeal to children. The results highlight the significance of considering the interplay between oral and written forms in children's literature. The study's relevance to the field of children's literature lies in its demonstration of how performance poetry can effectively engage young audiences and how these performances can be effectively translated to the printed page. It underscores the importance of considering the cultural context and linguistic diversity of children's literature, emphasizing the value of representing diverse voices and experiences. The study also contributes to ecocriticism by revealing how a performance poet can successfully utilize humor and relatable themes to communicate complex environmental and social messages to young audiences.

This study demonstrates the unique appeal of Benjamin Zephaniah's dub poetry for children, highlighting its effectiveness in conveying complex social and environmental messages through performance, humor, and accessible language. It contributes to the understanding of children's literature by demonstrating how the characteristics of dub poetry, even in its printed form, successfully engage young readers. Future research could investigate children's responses to Zephaniah's work and the works of other dub poets, explore the impact of dub poetry on children's development, address the gender imbalance within dub poetry, and investigate how other Caribbean poets engage creatively with children’s literature.

The study focuses primarily on a selection of Zephaniah's early children's poems. A broader analysis encompassing his entire body of work for children could provide a more comprehensive understanding of his style and its evolution. The analysis relies heavily on textual analysis and observations from videos; further research incorporating direct engagement with young readers would strengthen the findings. The study also primarily focuses on the UK context; further investigation could explore the international reception and impact of Zephaniah's poetry.